Career

Scarface began his career as Akshen (pronounced Action) recording solo for Lil' Troy's Short Stop Records, a local label in Houston. In the late 1980s, he would go on to sign with Rap-A-Lot Records and join a group who were collectively known as, Ghetto Boys, replacing one member who left, later respelled Geto Boys, and released Grip It! On That Other Level (1989), a highly successful LP that garnered the group a large fanbase, in spite of their violent lyrics keeping them far from radio and MTV.

Akshen changed his name to Scarface (he also changed his flow from a rapid-fire Kool G Rap-like delivery to normal flow, this time with a darker tone), after the film Scarface, saying he felt that the main character of the movie was like him in many ways. He then released his debut solo album, Mr. Scarface Is Back. The album was a success, and Scarface's popularity soon overshadowed the other Geto Boys. Scarface remained in the group while releasing a series of solo albums that kept him in the public view with increasing sales. This peaked with 2000s The Last of a Dying Breed, which received overwhelmingly positive reviews and sales, and earned him Lyricist of the Year at the Source Awards.

In 2002, he released The Fix, the follow up to The Last of a Dying Breed and returned to the studio with the Geto Boys for their album, The Foundation. He has collaborated with such artists as Jay-Z, Freeway, Master P, Jadakiss, Faith Evans, Chamillionaire, 2Pac, Nas, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Lloyd Banks, Beanie Sigel, Young Jeezy, Too Short, Anthony Hamilton, Bun B, Raekwon, Z-Ro, and Gang Starr. He is known for his sometimes unique and exaggerated voice and rapping technique. He was also featured on The Biggie Duets alongside Big Gee and Akon. He guest-appeared on Ray Cash's debut single "Bumpin' my Music".

In addition to his career as a lyricist, Scarface has also been the coordinator and president of Def Jam South since 2000, where he has fostered the career of popular rapper Ludacris, whom he originally signed to the label.

In an interview, Scarface said that he would never record solo material again, due to creative differences with Rap-A-Lot. He has stated that his last official album was The Fix which was released in 2002, and anything released afterwards has nothing to do with him--however, he has also admitted in a recent interview with XXL that he is releasing another solo album, M.A.D.E., for which a single has already been released. He did not rule out being featured on other artist's albums, as he has appeared on Freeway's album Free At Last and will appear on Beanie Sigel's album, The Solution. Scarface is currently planning production; he has recently produced three tracks on UGK's Underground Kingz: "Life In 2009," "Still Ridin' Dirty," and "Candy."

Some of Scarface's early music videos ("A Minute to Pray, A Second To Die") featured community activist Quanell X in supporting roles.

Has appeared in two video games: Def Jam Vendetta and its sequel Def Jam: Fight For NY.

Appeared in Mike Judge's Idiocracy as a pimp named Upgrayedd. Judge also used the Scarface track "No Tears" and Geto Boys tracks "Still" and "Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta" in his 1999 movie Office Space.